Villanueva, however, had to pick himself up twice from knockdowns in the first and ninth rounds before being announced the winner of this highly competitive see-saw battle.

A big right from Eto knocked down Villanueva at the close of the first round before the Bacolod-raised, Cebu-based fighter outboxed the local fighter in the second and third rounds.

A big overhand right by Villanueva sent down Eto in the fourth round, which he followed up by taking rounds five and six.

Eto, however, recovered to win round seven before Villanueva took control by bloodying Eto in the eighth frame.

Villanueva got careless in the ninth, and another right from Eto saw the Filipino fighter again kissing the canvas.

Villanueva somehow managed to win the tenth round, before Eto took the penultimate and final rounds.

Scores were 113-112, 113-112, and 114-112 all in favor of the new champion Villanueva, who was assisted in his corner by his manager Rev. Henry Guanzon, ALA chief trainer Edito Villamor and Japan-based Sol Ano-os.

International matchmaker Joe Koizumi, who arranged Villanueva`s title crack, informed the new champ that he will have to make a mandatory defense against compatriot Marco Demecillo.

`We will honor our mandatory against Demecillo. Arthur will be ready for him,` said an ecstatic Guanzon, answering queries from the Japanese media.

Villanueva`s victory capped a successful campaign by Filipinos here this week, which started when OPBF flyweight champion Rocky Fuentes successfully defended his title the other day in the same venue with a decision win over Japanese Yuki Nasu.